Hidden in the Shadows
by sea-singer
Summary: He was a young boy from an orphanage. Adopted when he was three, he lives with his big father Dirk. With his childhood friends from around the orphanage and the orphanage itself, they will discover the things that lie hidden in the shadows, things that w


-Author's Note- This is an AU ToS fic I'm not sure how bad yet- but expect a fair amount of differences. I'll try to keep the personalities of the other characters the same.

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Hidden in the Shadows

He was a young boy from an orphanage. Adopted when he was three, he lives with his big father Dirk. With his childhood friends from around the orphanage and the orphanage itself, they will discover the things that lie hidden in the shadows, things that were not supposed to be discovered, and the things that should not be allowed to exist. In a delicate balance of good and evil, power and weakness, and the turning of the wheel of fate, a young man will find his place in the world, and become a Hero.

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Chapter 1: Blocked Secrets

It was a dark day, a day where evil things happened and they go without notice, and a day where a mysterious stranger dropped off one young boy at an orphanage.

Cloaked in black it slipped to the door. A small boy was placed upon the steps, laughing and giggling. To him it was all a game, a dangerous game, not suitable for one his age.

"Shhhh." Whispered the stranger, as it placed a note in the child's jumper pocket.

The little boy held out his hands to the stranger. "Don't weave!" He said. A tear dripped from the stranger's eye, and the little boy caught a sight of its face. He burst into tears, used to having his parent's arms around when he had a nightmare.

"Shhh my baby boy." The stranger cooed.

He sniffled. "Vere is my dada and mommy?" The stranger's heart broke.

"It's ok Lloyd, you will see them later." The stranger said, sadness and pain in her voice, knowing that her son would recognize her, even in this monstrosity of a body, any second.

"Don't weave mommy!" The stranger sighed. Lloyd had recognized her and she only had a few minutes left of control, before she turned wild… The stranger shuddered within in her body.

"It's okay Lloyd. The big man will take care of you here."

"Dada!" The boy called.

"Not yet Lloyd." The stranger let what was left of herself fall by her son's feet, and she faded in the darkness. "Lloyd I love you…"

A scream of a monster was heard a few feet away, and a light flicked on. Upon the ground, a monster lay, its body shattered and broken. It was all that was left of his mother.

"MOMMY!"

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Another stranger, also related to the events of this night, stood upon a cliff. He had lost everything, and it was never going to come back.

If he had ever wanted to cry, it would have been now. But since he could not cry, it didn't matter.

_To have loved and lost, is better than to have not loved at all, _the saying went, but at this moment in time he had wished he had never loved at all. That way, he would have never had to worry about the dark empty feeling that threatened to consume him.

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Dirk, the current owner of the orphanage, looked upon the young boy with a deep compassion, he didn't know how the boy was related to the thing that lay in shatters in the corner, but he would find out soon.

"So sonny boy, where did you come from?"

"Mommy!" He cried.

The big man looked at the boy's pocket and noticed a piece of paper and a jewel. "No." He whispered. He picked up the boy, and the jewel, and walked in the house. He bathed the boy and put him to bed. He checked on the rest of the kids, and found they were still asleep, which was good. He went to the bathroom and picked up the boy's clothes. He found the piece of paper he had saw earlier and read it.

_Dear Dirk,_

_Tap the exsphere._

Dirk picked up the jewel. So this was an infamous exsphere. He set it on the counter of the bathroom, and tapped it. A vision appeared of light brown hair and dark misty eyes.

"_Dirk, thank you."_

The big man nodded. "I'm so sorry this happened to you Anna."

The vision smiled. "I am going to tell you what happened to me, as well as why you were suddenly stuck with my darling son."

The man nodded.

"I was at one of the ranches, you know those labs that they are using to secretly operate people on? And Lloyd's father came to save me. The exsphere was removed from my body, and I was forced to fight him. I couldn't help it Dirk I just went crazy. I-I lost control. It was terrible. I managed to gain control of my body, and I thought. I begged Lloyd's father to kill me, but I went crazy again."

Dirk noticed that she shuddered. "Anna…"

"I went after Lloyd, and if Noishe hadn't been there to protect him, I might have killed him." The vision broke down crying. "But I gained control once more. I ran, taking Lloyd with me. I covered myself in a cloak, knowing that I would not have lived long enough to get Lloyd to you. I came here, the one place I always had a haven. I knew Lloyd would be safe here with you."

Dirk smiled, glad that he had gained such a reputation with one of the orphans that had lived here.

"Please Dirk, take him as your son. Raise him as you would if he was your blood kin. His father probably thinks he is dead, so it as well anyways."

"I will Anna, I swear."

"Thank you. Now please give this exsphere to Lloyd, it is my final wish. I want to be able to help him in eternity, as I was not able to do in life. My complete consciousness will be absorbed by the exsphere soon, and I will live on." The vision shuddered. "It is my final protection for Lloyd, and Dirk, once again, I thank you."

"I will tell Lloyd when he gets older Anna."

"That's all I could ever ask for, after giving Lloyd to you. Now take good care of him Dirk, he means the world to me. And if you ever meet Lloyd's father, tell him Anna loves him." A single tear slid down from the visions face. "Kratos why were we pulled apart from each other in this way…" She whispered.

And the vision was gone. He shook his head at the realization that she loved her son so much she was willing to live in eternal damnation just to keep him safe.

Dirk went up the stairs to check on the kids once more. He smiled upon seeing their sleeping forms, and hearing their gentle snores.

He then went back down the stairs, grabbed his boots and spade, and went to bury Anna. It was the least he could do for her. She had after all, brought him enough money to keep the orphanage running for the rest of his life.

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It was almost dawn when he was finished. Now all he had to do was make a place marker. Which would undoubtedly have to wait till later.

He heard the cries of Lloyd, Anna's son. He had expected this to happen, one night having one of your parents in a familiar place, and the next no parents and no recognizable features. Poor tyke.

Dirk washed his hands quickly before he went to Lloyd. He stopped in the other children's rooms, to see they were fine. He made his way to Lloyd's room, and went to pick him out of the bed.

"Now, now Lloyd." Lloyd stopped crying and looked up at the big man. He looked slightly afraid, but excited at the same time. No doubt there were blocked secrets in his mind; after what had happened last night, Dirk would be surprised if there weren't. He sat Lloyd on his knee and bounced him up and down. Lloyd giggled his small child giggle, and held his hands out.

It looked as if Lloyd had found himself a foster father.

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Late that night, Dirk worked on Anna's grave marker. He would have to rope that area off from the kids. He found a beautiful piece of obsidian. He carved into it,

_Anna,_

_Loved mother_

_And beloved wife._

_Here she lies, _

_Waiting for the day _

_When she will be able to _

_fly free of the chains that bind her._

Died: _Octoberite, 22/ 3450_

_Born: Decombre 9/3430_

Dirk looked over his handy-work. It was well crafted and beautiful. He smiled with pride. Anna would have loved it.


End file.
